


Works in Progress

by MonroseMeadows



Category: Original Work
Genre: AU, F/M, Fluff, Gay, Gen, M/M, Multi, Original Content - Freeform, Slash, Smut, Teens, attempt at finding a natural writing style for publishing, cute stuff, highschool
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-30
Updated: 2019-01-30
Packaged: 2019-10-19 04:17:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17594474
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MonroseMeadows/pseuds/MonroseMeadows
Summary: Works in Progress, follows the everyday lives of a handful of teenagers and the hardships they face.How does a teen react to the possibility of being gay? How does it affect his life and current relationship?Follow Elijah, Noah, Jude, Piper, Alyson and Josiah as they are works in progress.





	Works in Progress

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, and thank you for clicking on this work.  
> Before you dive into the story and start reading, I'd like to make a few notes first.
> 
> \- I am very European. English is not my native tongue, so spelling errors and minor off-structured sentences might occur.  
> Take it with a grain of salt. But if you do notice an error that needs fixing, please let me know in the comments.  
> \- I would appreciate a Beta-Reader. If you feel like you are able to fulfill this task, contact me either by sending me a private message or simply by leaving a comment. Thank you.
> 
> Before you ask what inspired me, I will answer that question before it can be asked.  
> This work is moderately inspired by a short-series that I found on YouTube, called 'Prep School Blues'.  
> It's a fairly short series with 12 episodes, each ranging from 6 to 10 minutes. So, it's really an easy and quick watch.  
> \- Keep in mind, and this is my warning: This series is almost 10 years old, so the quality of the final product leaves to be desired.  
> The camera quality was not that great back in those days, and I do believe the series itself was a project of some sorts, to launch both the careers of the actors and the writer/director. So, turn up the volume (because the entirety of the series is recorded without POV microphones, instead the camera's built-in microphone is used, and often characters farther away from the camera, are harder to hear and will sound quiet and disjointed)  
> But it is worth to watch if you want to waste roughly 20 minutes of boredom on this one.
> 
> For the Bryan Dechart fangirls, yes. He is in this one, as I believe it was one of his very first unofficial acting roles.

Morning. Another daybreak’s light gleam filtering through the tiny cracks between the blindfolds. The blanket held warmth and captured a body in its fabric embrace. In the hallway footsteps thundered over the tiled floor, halted once the bathroom door fell shut with a loud bang. The bark of the family dog resounded in the background, and it made a young man push his face deeper into the crumpled-up pillow trapped in his arms. Eyebrows lowered when a sharp voice called out his name and he thanked the thickness of the bedroom walls. The heeled feet of his mother clicked against the tiled floor, and the mere presence of the sound slowly crept under his skin. By now his sister, Ryleigh, likely preoccupied the bathroom, and with that shaved 15 minutes off his time to get ready. With a groan he pushed his torso upright and felt instant regret when the cold air caressed his bare skin. His eyes glided across the room, more specifically, the clutter tossed around the room and clung to the carpet. Feet were placed onto the soft carpet, and he took a second to relish in the soft sensation under his heels and toes. Another sigh escaped past his lips and he pushed the remainder of the blanket off his legs and lower body. The room was dark, and the lingering scent of tobacco penetrated his nostrils. He leaned over the small nightstand, careful not to push over some of the items resting on its surface and turned the handle on the window. Instinctively, he squinted when the sunlight met his gaze, and swiftly gathered some of the forgotten pieces of clothing off the floor. Ryleigh might have claimed the bathroom for 30 certain minutes, in the meantime he could take care of the minimal basics.

The kitchen was a display of utter chaos. Jericho, an adult Labrador sporting a black coat of fur, jumped up against him as he descended the stairs. He mumbled under his breath as he attempted to push the canine away, his eyes lazily tracing the haphazard arm movements of his mother near the kitchen table. She sat hunched over a laptop, fingers raced over the vast keyboard in rapid succession. A cellphone was trapped between her jaw and shoulder, yet she motioned toward her son when he stepped into her direct line of sight. “Elijah, can you get me some coffee, dear?” Elijah traced the direction in which the woman had nodded, where he located the coffee maker as it gurgled quiescently. He walked past Jericho and handed his mother the mug. “Will dad be home after school?” A pair of green eyes locked onto him for a second, to be followed by a shake of the head. And Elijah knew to take that as his que to back off and end the conversation at that point. Rightfully so, as his mother rose from her seat and the sound of her heels pierced his eardrums once more. “It’ll be just you and your sister.” Both mother and son looked up when a backpack was thrown on the kitchen counter. “Don’t count on it. I promised Katelynn we’d grab something to eat together. You’re on your own today, Eli.” She said, rummaging through the contents of her bag. Elijah turned to his mother, but only received a lax shrug of the shoulders as she put on her coat. “I don’t know what time I’ll be home. The two of you be on your best behavior. I love you.” She leaned in to kiss both of her children on the cheek and left with a suitcase pinned under her arm. Jericho lifted his head, but lost interest soon after and returned to a state of slumber.

Ryleigh pushed back a strand of dark colored hair and gave her bag a final tug before throwing it over her shoulder. “Alright, I’m leaving.” She made her way to the entrance hall, then stopped to looked over her shoulder. “Before I forget, I have a math test coming up. And I was hoping you’d be able to help me out.” Apple in hand, Elijah sent an affirmative nod. A head movement imitated by the slightly younger teen and then she walked out the door – leaving her brother behind in a house suddenly empty and void of sound. He breathed out a sigh.

The school he attended was in walking distance, something he greatly appreciated. And though he envied friends who had already gotten their driver’s license, participating in the smallest of physical activities failed to bother him. Cars passed him by in abundance as did groups of younger children, playfully prancing along the stretches of sidewalk. Another Monday. The start of a new week, and he dreaded each and every aspect of it. Hordes of students walked onto the school premises, populating the area to the point they faded into a stationary blur. He brought a hand up to his forehead to comb back a handful of curled hairs. As he tilted his head, he was made aware of a waving hand in the distance. He picked up the pace in his step, a weak smile adorning his lips as he neared a familiar face. “Do you feel the urge to die too, Piper?” He said with lowered brows, not bothered to look up and make sure Piper had followed. He knew she had, she always did. The girl voiced a muffled laugh as she combed back the tail ends of her gray scarf. “The question should be: when do I _not_ feel the urge to die?” And her answer had eased Elijah to some extent. The morning routines that haunted his family might summon unwanted chaotic stress, in the end, he always had Piper Shepherd to fall back to. Her clear-cut vision on the world and what moved around her, made him feel at ease. Perhaps bitterness _was_ a family trait he could not escape…

Both teens sent each other a look when a car sporting rather loud music, passed and pulled in one of the empty spaces in the parking lot. The music died down, and laughter could be heard when the occupants exited the vehicle. A young man with a head of blonde hair reached for the backseat to grab his bag, while a tall brunette fixed her uniform blazer. Piper walked over to the two and greeted them with a faint smile. “Morning, Allie.” She said and pulled the brunette in for a hug. Elijah fidgeted with his lighter, a cigarette dangling between his lips, and the blonde boy tilted his head. “Eli, have you seen the game?” He had not. As a matter of fact, he had spent his evening in a state of deep slumber after crashing out hardcore. He pressed his lips together, then breathed out a puff of smoke. “Jude’s dad freaked out when the other team scored their first point.” Alyson added with a scoff. Jude brought his hands up in a defensive manner. “He gets way too involved with these things. He’s a sports fan, what did you expect?”

They followed the path toward the entrance doors but were stopped by Elijah waving around the cigarette clenched between two fingers. Jude rolled his eyes, smirking as Piper and Alyson sat down on the small staircase. “What are you doing after school?” He waited for Elijah to lock eyes. “My parents won’t be home – out for dinner, trying to keep that marriage healthy. You know the drill. You’re free to come and hang out at my place.” Elijah shook his head with a smirk and took another drag from his cigarette. “If I survive Mrs. Dale today, I might take you up on that offer.” A grin took over Jude’s features, and he added a nod as he crossed arms. “Maybe getting to class in time is an option to avoid this entirely.” He tilted his head when Elijah sent him a look that spoke for itself. “Just saying. You kind of do this to yourself.” And that statement couldn’t be more accurate, Elijah had to admit. But admitting is only half the battle. “I have to pass time somehow. I nap. And you know my parents are so caught up in their own world; that they often forget they have kids. If I don’t show up at the kitchen table in the morning, they either assume I have already left, or they simply forget I’m supposed to be there.” Jude snickered behind his back, torso aimed at the entrance doors when Elijah flicked away the burnt-up cigarette butt. “Aw, poor spoiled child with rich parents that forget he exists.” Elijah gave him a gentle shove. “Fuck you, Blackwell.” He tilted his head toward the doors and breathed out a sigh as he waited for the girls to enter, before he did himself. This aught to be a long day.

 

* * *

 

“Okay, what’s the matter, Noah?”

Noah’s train of thoughts arrived at Knoxville. He tore his gaze from his tray of food, only to smile upon recognizing his friend. It was in vain to even make an attempt at hiding anything from Josiah. He possessed a certain skill that allowed him to see right through any mirage, no matter the person of interest. Noah scooted to the right, allowing Josiah to claim the empty seat next to him. His long limbs barely fit the small space available, but he managed. He always did. Though that did not erase the hilarious instances and memories related directly to those gangly limbs. A simple bus ride for Noah, would be a slice of semi-hell for Josiah. The compact seating arrangements forced him to bend and fold his limbs in impossible ways, knees painfully dug and crammed into the backrest of the seat in front. Noah felt compassionate at those moments, yet envied Josiah’s height any other given time.

“Was I staring again?” He asked as he swirled a fork through a bed of vegetables. He caught the affirmational nod from the corner of his eye and smiled. “Lost in thoughts. It happens.”

The cafeteria was crowded. Most of the tables jam packed with hungry students and their lunch trays. Conversations populated the area, accompanied by the occasional sound of eating utensils meeting porcelain plates. It was noisy and chaotic, and Noah relished in it, as it allowed his mind to wander unnoticed. Well, for the most part, that is. He pricked the fork through a forgotten tomato slice and brought it up to his mouth. The fork resting when Josiah’s voice sprung back to life among the sea of others.

“Yeah, but it happens a lot in your case.” He narrowed his eyes, head tilted slightly to the right. Birthing an expression that translated to a newfound discovery. It felt like he had hit the jack pot, the mother-lode, struck oil. And it left Noah to wonder, the fork still resting mid-air, lingering mere inches from his mouth. “You give me shit for staring, but you’re doing it yourself. Stop it.” Josiah lowered his arms to the table and leaned into Noah’s field of view. It elicited a confused blink from the other teen. “Stop it, Jos!”

Josiah flashed a wide grin. “Just to let you know: if it’s a girl, just talk to her.”

Noah instinctively leaned back in his chair. The forked tomato slice brought down to rest again on the plate. “It must be easy being Josiah William Knox, isn’t it? Logic is thrown out the window.”

“Usually when people stare into the abyss, there’s a special someone on their mind. And I have yet to hear you talk about girls, so, I figured you were just a late bloomer.” He laughed when Noah bumped his shoulder with his own. “You don’t know what you’re talking about, Knox. You never do.”

“Correct. But since you don’t talk much about what goes on in that head of yours, I’m left to make assumptions. And you know what they say when you assume…” Josiah smiled, and allowed his gaze to linger on Noah a little longer. He had known Noah for far too long to convince himself of letting go. The instant a ludicrous idea ignited in that mind of his, his brain did a horrible job at masking those doubts and fears. He was aware of Noah being a closed book and had come to peace with it – but that did not deter him from clawing at the paperback cover in an attempt to catch a glimpse of inked letters. Perhaps it was an unconscious action, since had caught Noah wandering the vast labyrinth of his mind more than he could keep count of. He connected his jaw with the palm of his hand, head resting in his hand as he took in the lively atmosphere of the school canteen.


End file.
